


Arigato

by tcaf4121



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Other, Spoilers, this hurt to write
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-04
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:55:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25067248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tcaf4121/pseuds/tcaf4121
Summary: S3 Spoilers.You look back out towards the action down on Earth as you set your jaw. You watch as Levi and Hanji carry your body off the roof. You watch as both your second in command and your captain lay to rest the pitiful remnants of your body. You watch as Hanji places two flowers within the vase beside the bed. You watch as Levi glares.Canon. Oneshot.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	Arigato

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Hi. This is my first AoT fic. Mandatory "these characters and storyline" don't belong to me, only the plot and words of this specific fic. Also - there's spoilers. Set during S3. Between E55 & E56 and into E56.

You’ve never really understood what it meant to believe in anything other than the truth. And it’s your need to know it that lead you to your death and you know that. You watch as you cast your eyes along the action beneath you, the rest of the fallen surrounding you in their translucent forms, also gazing upon the destruction you left in your wake. The mountain of men you managed to slaughter for the sake of humanity, in one way or another. There’s no room for regret, but grief (or whatever essence of it you can conjure up now in the afterlife) currently lingers. There’s a hand on your shoulder suddenly, clamped down hard even though matter and weight don’t apply to you anymore. You shift your focused gaze to the right, just as his figure steps forward.

The moment you recognize who it is, your throat clenches. His hair is grey instead of the dirt blonde you remember.

You look back out towards the action down on Earth as you set your jaw. You watch as Levi and Hanji carry your body off the roof. You watch as both your second in command and your captain lay to rest the pitiful remnants of your body. You watch as Hanji places two flowers within the vase beside the bed. You watch as Levi glares. You thank him for allowing you peace and as you do, he closes his eyes. As if to say you’re welcome. He turns and leaves.

You watch as Armin receives a fate he did not ask for. A fate that could have easily been your own and you would have accepted it as your duty.

Despite that... and though you will never say it aloud... you grant yourself solace in the fact that you died human. You subsequently stand straighter because of it, proud of your humanity. Your sense of integrity doesn’t falter, even after death. And yet, you scorn yourself for letting yourself think so freely.

Although, come to think of it… your duty was fulfilled. Your fight is over. Regardless of whether or not you accomplished what needed to be done.

The hand on your shoulder tightens. You don’t look again. You don’t need to.

You turn your back on the activity just beyond you, releasing yourself from your father’s hold on your shoulder.

_Do you need the truth? Even now?_

Your jaw grits. A slight smirk and chortle sound next to you.

“I see you’ve been busy,” breaks the silence. Your features soften as you glance at him once more.

“Yes,” you reply simply. You turn to face him directly now. You feel your shoulders fall slightly, unable to meet the gaze of the man that died due to your foolish actions. “I was never able to find the truth.”

_Do you even want to know it?_

Your father doesn’t speak, instead closes his eyes as the wind blows through the passage of time. Hours feel like flashes once you’ve died. Focus shifts as the wind blows.

“Don’t blame yourself for what happened to me, Erwin,” he murmurs. You’re shocked that he can still read you so well, but it’s then you fully bring into awareness that he’s been watching... this whole time.

“I knew what I was doing.”

His eyes flash open, cutting into the core of you and you gasp. Even just barely. You right yourself and nod once more. He looks off, down towards Earth, and you follow suit swiftly.

You see them now, the four of them upturning the remains of the Jaeger household.

Your eyes go wide. You break your gaze away and then look towards your father and he nods.

Breathing in, your spirit descends quickly towards the three of them. You loom near Hanji and notice how they look around, as if they can feel a presence. It makes you take a step back. When you do, the acting Commander visibly relaxes.

The creak of a cellar door lifting brings your attention towards Eren and Mikasa, soon flanked by your closest soldiers and yourself. You watch and walk down the steps just behind the four of them. They all come to a halt, as you hover in the space between Hanji and Mikasa. You wait in agony as Eren struggles with opening the padlock.

As if he can sense your impatience, Levi doesn't wait much longer and makes a key of his own.

With his foot.

Darkness soon overtakes, that is, until they fill the room with the light of a small lantern. Your Captain is speaking. It's distant, muffled, hardly intelligible as if spoken through water. You watch as he directs his crew. But then—

_Erwin’s hunches are rarely wrong._

The words surge straight through you, energy flowing off you as you stand near Dr. Jaeger’s desk. You watch Mikasa closely, as if called to, when she drops the cup.

And as the book is opened, the small… _foh-toh-graff_ … is removed from the crease in which it was housed.

A gossamer of tears streams down your luminescent form and you sink to your knees.

_I come from a place outside. Humanity is not perished._

… Your lips part.

Everything goes white.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Short and... I was gonna say sweet. But it's just all pain. Sobs, lmfao. Thank you for reading. Let me know what you thought! xx


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